Concordia Lutheran Mission Society
Partners In Missions
In 2019 two Nicaraguan pastors traded in their bicycles for motorcycles. In 2020, this project hopes to provide two more motorcycles for pastors, better enabling them to visit their church communities and attend meetings at the Mission Centre.
I want to support missionary transportation in Nicaragua.
This project will provide continuing education seminars for pastors and deacons/esses serving in Central America. Project funding provides for transportation, room/board and materials for four theological seminars, held at the Mission Centre in Chinandega, Nicaragua, and led by LCC and LCMS pastors and theological professors.
I want to support the pastors and deacons/esses serving in Central America.
Despite the frigid temperatures, seven people with a passion for missions met in Edmonton at Concordia Lutheran Seminary from January 16th to 18th to plan for the CLMS path forward in 2020.
We thank the Lord for two new board members: Cathy Weger and Curtis Schafer. Cathy will be our Treasurer and Curtis will take the role of Secretary. Continuing on the board are:
(L to R) Rev. Cliff Haberstock, Joyce Lobitz, Rev. Roland Syens, Cathy Weger, June Barlund, Curtis Schafer. Missing – Marilyn Witte
A number of items came up for discussion, one of which was to address who should CLMS consider to be a “voting member”? We have always assumed that every donor would WANT to be a voting member, which may not be true. And it was realized that a number of donors are not members of an LCC affiliated congregation. It was decided that to be a voting member, donors must “opt-in” by sending in a membership form. This was mailed out with the new brochure in February to all donors who gave in the last two years.
We are updating our membership list in anticipation of more people coming forward to say, “I want to serve the Lord and support missions using the talents with which I have been blessed.”
CLMS plans to hold its next AGM at St. Matthew Lutheran in Calgary on April 4, 2020. We look forward to the attendance of CLMS supporters in the Calgary area.
How did you travel to church last Sunday? For pastors in Nicaragua the trip to hold services or visit with parishioners can be a complicated one. Often pastors serve more than one congregation and may live in yet another community.
Some pastors rely on bicycles, some take the local bus or bicycle taxi, and then walk the remainder of the way. Some have motorcycles. Very few have a car.
This is Pastor Geronimo who serves a number of congregations, all of which are rural. The roads leading to these small villages are not paved and in some cases are not graveled either. If you look closely you can see a machete in a sleeve he has attached to the rear wheel. We asked why a machete? Are there bad men? He said no, there were bad dogs that he had to hold off or they would topple him over and take whatever foodstuffs he was carrying to his home or to his parishioners.
For the last couple of years Concordia Lutheran Mission Society has had Motorcycles for Pastors as one of our projects. Last year three pastors received a motorcycle. In this past month two more pastors received motorcycles!
Wow! Look at Pastor Geronimo now! 
He has the keys and the helmet (not shown) and is ready to get on the road!
What a blessing for him and for all of his parishioners. Because there is still a need for more motorcycles CLMS will have this project again in 2020.
CLMS sincerely thanks all those who have given to this project. Pastor Geronimo’s prayer for a motorcycle has been answered, and our donors were God’s instrument to have this come to pass.
God bless you all!
Concordia Lutheran Mission Society occasionally receives a request for a special mission project. Last year the A-BC District’s President Rev. Glenn Schaeffer approached CLMS with a request for CLMS to accept a special project for Rwanda. Rev. Schaeffer assumed responsibility for raising funds for two teachers to instruct a week-long course to church leaders in Bible and theological training in the Beth Ammi Christian Fellowship and the Reformed Christian Fellowship Church of Rwanda.
Following are excerpts from Dr. Glenn Schaeffer’s report on his teaching trip to Rwanda in early 2019.
Greetings!
My wife Sandra and I just returned from a two week trip to Rwanda. It is amazing how the bonds of faith and the shared love we have for Jesus connect us to one another despite differences in ethnicity, language, and social class.
I led a four day conference on Romans 1-8 with heavy emphasis on the doctrine of justification – a doctrine that was “foreign” to them. There were about 35 church leaders present for the conference, mainly from the Beth Ammi Christian Fellowship Church and two pastors from the Reformed Christian Fellowship Church of Rwanda.
They are passionate about worshiping and serving their Lord, but most of the Christians, including the leaders, have a limited knowledge of the Bible and tend to live under the burden of the law.
They are eager and hungry to learn more. Our daily sessions at the conference started at 9 am and concluded at 4 pm with a one hour lunch break (during which they huddled to talk about the lessons). Otherwise, they listened, discussed, debated, and prayed…with no other breaks!
Both churches are requesting ongoing biblical/theological training. In fact, this matter is quite pressing as the government of Rwanda has mandated that all pastors of congregations are to have a theological degree/certificate from an accredited school.
I am thankful for the opportunity that Sandra and I had to travel to Rwanda. Aside from the conference we visited four additional congregations that are extensions of the Beth Ammi located in various regions of Rwanda. I also preached at a worship service there.
The congregation I now serve in Michigan is quite supportive of my work in Rwanda. Sandra and I plan to return to Rwanda to continue to develop relationships with them and to provide them with biblical and practical training.
In Christ,
Glenn Schaeffer
Dr. Schaeffer and CLMS are very grateful to the people of LCC who heard about this special project and supported it both financially and with their prayers.
Due to the high cost of properties a small home is rented as a worship venue in Costa Rica. LCC pays the building rent and covers Pastor Edmundo’s stipends, transportation, mission resources and expenses.
I want to support Mission and Ministry in Costa Rica.
As the Costa Rican mission prepares for the future, Pastor Edmundo has requested that LCC provide formal diaconal training to a few gifted young people in his congregation who are currently assisting him with the work of the parish and mission.
I want to support diaconal training in Costa Rica.
$1.50 can provide a substantial and healthy meal for a child in any community in Nicaragua. There are groups of anywhere from 40 to 80 children in each of the Central American feeding programs where the children hear Bible studies and learn the Small Catechism. A deaconess and pastor lead the programs while the children are fed once or twice a week.
I want to support feeding for the children of Nicaragua.
This project will provide continuing education seminars for pastors and deacons/esses serving in Central America. A short term seminar held at our Nicaragua seminary is around $2500 USD, including transportation, room/board and materials. Our hope is to offer, at least, four seminars per year.
I want to support the pastors and deacons/esses serving in Central America.
Missionary Edmundo Retana reaches out to 20-25 children/youth in two communities in Cartago, Costa Rica, gathering together for Christian instruction and worship. Several youth retreats are held each year; these have become great opportunities for nurturing the youth of Cartago in God’s Word.
I want to support the youth education in Costa Rica.
